This could be a metaphor for our times - a rower looks over her shoulder in order to navigate safely. On the surface of the river are fallen leaves - red - the first signs of autumn. I've been using a restricted palette of white, black, cadmium red and burnt umber. I've been painting this, on and off, while welcoming visitors to my 'River' exhibition. I hope to finish this tomorrow. So far 23 paintings have sold and we have raised about £1500 for the King's Arms Project to support Bedford people, including recently arrived refugees, find shelter and employment. There will be a great deal of need this winter, and the charity will need every penny we can raise. But the conversations I have had through and about the images are more important to me: here is our local life, beautiful in all its ordinariness and transience. We are not powerless: we have the necessary agency to make life better. |